Accused child abductor makes first court appearance

Published: Tuesday, October 16, 2012 at 08:32 AM.

He currently faces state charges of child abduction, unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, and larceny and identity theft related to the unauthorized use of a debit card belonging to the girl’s father.

But additional, more serious, charges are anticipated as the investigation continues.

“Right now he is charged with felony child abduction. We do anticipate filing one or more felony sex offense charges as well, which would be more serious that what he is charged with now,” District Attorney Scott Thomas said in an interview with the media prior to the court appearance.

Thomas said they are in communication with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Carteret County Sheriff’s Office and U.S. Attorney’s Office, and they anticipate additional state and/or federal charges.

Newman also faces probation violations and a charge of failing to report an address change as required as a convicted sex offender.

Newman was placed on the sex offender registry is 2005 for convictions in connection with two counts of engaging in a sex offense with a 14-year-old girl in 2003 in
Stokes
County
.

BEAUFORT — A convicted sex offender accused of child abduction appeared in CarteretCounty for the first time since his weekend return to the state.

Timothy Newman, 38, of Bogue appeared in Carteret County District Court Monday for his first appearance on charges related to the abduction of 12-year-old Abigail Lefevers.

Newman was made aware of the charges against him and appointed attorney Jim Wallace as his public defender. His court case was continued until Oct. 26.

He remains in the Carteret County Jail under a $1.2 million bond.

The court appearance in CarteretCounty was the first for Newman, who arrived back in Carteret County Saturday from Broward County, Fla., where he had been in custody since being apprehended there with the juvenile, who was reported missing by her father on Sept. 24, prompting the issuance of an Amber Alert to help find her.

Newman, a registered sex offender, is accused of leaving the state of North Carolina with the girl and traveling through South Carolina and Georgia before being apprehended on Sept. 26 in Florida.

He currently faces state charges of child abduction, unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, and larceny and identity theft related to the unauthorized use of a debit card belonging to the girl’s father.

But additional, more serious, charges are anticipated as the investigation continues.

“Right now he is charged with felony child abduction. We do anticipate filing one or more felony sex offense charges as well, which would be more serious that what he is charged with now,” District Attorney Scott Thomas said in an interview with the media prior to the court appearance.

Thomas said they are in communication with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Carteret County Sheriff’s Office and U.S. Attorney’s Office, and they anticipate additional state and/or federal charges.

Newman also faces probation violations and a charge of failing to report an address change as required as a convicted sex offender.

Newman was placed on the sex offender registry is 2005 for convictions in connection with two counts of engaging in a sex offense with a 14-year-old girl in 2003 in StokesCounty.